System of mobile armament



my io ,1927.-

l L..v w; LUEpLE-.N SYSTEM. 0F MOBILE ARMAMENT Filed' May ze. 1917 s sheets-Sgen i' n s rami NW N N .Q A u b. .N N

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May 1o ,1927.

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1,628,165 L.. w. Lul-:LLEN y sYsTsu or loam: ARuAufENT v Filed uav'ge;` 1917 shuts-sheet 2 WNS@ '. l//l/ Il, C

Il' l 27 .10 FIGS..

Patented May 10, 1927.

PATE-NT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE W.l LUELLEN,Y or MOUNTAIN LAKES, .NEW JERSEY.

SYSTEM OF MOBILE `.ARB/[AMENT.

applic-anon mea May as,

HitIn-irte, it lhas been suggested to mount vordnance of the smaller caliber upon railroad cars for quick transporta-tion alongthe tracks, so that by reason vof. 'this mobility7 the position of the gunsmay be yquickly shifted Vas exigencies may arise. This has proven feasible whereguns of light weight have been used beca-use the presently-used tracks and cars are rof sufficient strength to Withstandthe shocks `incident to the tiring of such guns. i" A v wWhere arma-ment of thelnfrge caliber, such `:1s-heavy, mort-ars andlarge caliber rifles are concerned, the present railroad systems are vinadequate `in point of-strength to accomplish this desired object.' It `has been necesi sary, therefore, "to provide supplemental supporting means so kkdesigned as to cooperate Witlrthe :car 'body upon which vthe heavy ordnance is mounted to` takefup' the shocker' rthe 'recoil ofthe gun. Y

yOne "means for accomplishing` this object has been fully disclosed in Patent No. 1,2441.'- 431. ln" the patent referred to. We disclose the luse yof concrete supporting; bases located beneath the road bed at suitable intervals or at strategic points along the vrailroad, .these bases cooperatingl with specia'llyde- `signed car bodiesso that such vcar bodies bearing "the heavyk ordnance can be quickly brought into proper supported position* upon the foundation to enable the gun toxbe vtired Without displacement either from the vcar body or the Wheeled trucks therebeneath.`

fhifle mv invention relates tothe saine general Subject-matterpone of `its "particular objects is to provide a car body, of such' lconstruct-ion as to adapt it to cooperate with a concrete foundation or 4with supplemental supporting rails arranged longitudinally `ot y the railroad track for the purpose ojt absorbing the shock incident to the `iring of the gun. In this manner, a Car With a wider rangeo'f usefulness obtained.`

crete .reintoii'eed structure'into which the `car body is receii'red. means being provided for `positively locking y and lirmly holding` 1917; seriai No. 171,158.

the car body kragainst displacement when properly positioned therein. According Ato yanother phase kof .my inven- "tion, .l provide supplemental suporting rails also' arranged at intervals along the mainv track of the railroad at desired points, these supplen'iental rails being perferably located adjacent to butoutwardly of the main'tracks are' wedged downwardly into cooperation with kthe supplemental supporting rails when Vthe car is'brought thereover'into firing posiftion, so that the greater shocks, which Would be destructive to .the ordinary running gear of the car, Vare properly and efficiently taken upat these lateral points of support. JReferring to `the accompanying dra-Wings,

in which I .have illustrated by Way of -ex- `ample one preferable embodiment of my present invention,

Figure 1 isa View inside elevation of a fragmentary"portion of a railroad, a iconcrete supporting foundation therebeneath, supplemental vsupporting rails adjacent the main tracks and a car of my improved construction carrying a yheavy ordnance rifie and arranged 1nv cooperative relationship preparatory to' gun lire. y

`Iliglure 2 1s a top view `of Figure l, illustrating 1n plan the vertical extensions of reen'torced rconcrete to Which the sides of the car may be locked, a fragmentary portion only of the car fbody being shown.

ing the manner inv Which the car body is brought into cooperative supporting rela# L'tionship with ,the supplemental rails and the laterally arranged reenforced concrete supports. a f

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion ofthe car body and `the supplementalsupporting rails,k parts fill Iill

ill

of the car into' engagement with the sup-` plemental ksupporting rails.

Figure 61s a view in vertical cross-section of a fragmentary portion of the car body and the su leinei'ital su a oi'tino' rails taken on line V-VI of Figure 5 and also show# f' ing themeans employed for locking the car body to the concrete supporting foundations. Figure k is a similar view in detail taken on lines VII-.VH of Figure 5 shovvingv the car body in position upon the supplemental supporting rails. M Figure 8 is an enlarged detail ofthe operating means shown in Figure 5 employed for producing the Wedging action referred to. Y c

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of a supporting'supplemental rail.

AFigure l is a similar view of Figure l excepting the supplemental supporting rail is arranged in a plane parallel to the plane .of the main rails and illustrating that phase of the invention Where no additional supporting foundation is used and ivliere the car may be moved along the track by the shock of recoil incident to the firing when the gun is longitudinally of the car.

kon line XIII-XIII of Figure 12.

'Figure let is a small detail lvievv fortlie purposev of illustratingthe curvature of the tracks and rails. c

ln detail the ties l, rails 2,.trucks 3, axles f 4, and Wheels are all of conventional and well understood construction. 6 vindicates the car body upon which is mounted the heavy ordnance and which for the purpose of illustration takes the form of a large caliber rifle 7. The car'body is provided With side beams S, extending longitudinally along its sides and upon each of which side beams, in transversely tapered guidevvays 8, are mounted a series of similarly formed movable supporting members or slices 9 and a series of supplemental Wheels 10, vwhich are arranged to cooperate With the supplemental tracks ll, the latter being arranged at desired points Where the ordnance is to be used. The supplemental kWheels 10 are -journaled uponaxles l2 and are mounted within suitable slots lS provided in the side rfire laterally of the car.

maaier) beams of the car. The inountings of these wheels are unequally spaced, as illustrated, and arek employed for facilitating the movenient of the car body to its vproper location upon the supplemental rails, the latter being provided with slight circular depressions 14, similarly spaced, so` that when the car is properly positioned, that is to say When the Wheels are brought into alignment With the depressions, the former Will occupy the latter. Wheels enables them to run along the supplemental rails to facilitate the transportation of the car to its proper position for gun lire, the car body being slightly lifted from` the main trucks 3 until the Wheelsare brought coincident with the rail depressions kwhich they occupy,ivliereupon the Weight is relieved therefrom ina manner thought to be well understood. The ends of the suppleinental rails ll are chamfered olf or tapered to permit the wheels to readily engage tlieiii when brought into cooperation The mounting of theseA supplementalk tion for gun fire and additionally support it in such a Way as to enable the Agun to be fired laterally ofl the car. 'lo accomplish this, l provide a concrete foundation beneath the track and extending upwardly at the 'sides thereof, Ainto supporting pillars or extensions 36. is reenforcedby the use of metal beamsor plates 3T. rlhis forms a channel or groove for the reception ofthe car body and when the car body has 'been properly positioned therein upon the supplemental supporting rails,`tlie saine is positively locked in posi-k tion by means of the bolts 3S and cooperating nuts 39, one end of each bolt being held by a bracket 40 fast to, an angulaily faced plate il anchored in position by the tie bolts i2 embedded in the concrete foundation. Anchoring members f3 are employed and extend across Abetween the angular plate 4l and the side portion of the car body, these being held in place by suitable bolts 88. By this means thel car body is secured in place and adequately supported so as to withstand and take up any thrust or strain due to gun ln the embodiment of my invention, asy

illustrated in Figures l to t, inclusive the This concrete construction ico llfl If desired, I may 7ith a rounded prosupplemental supporting rails are in the form of I-beains having a kchannel-like the track.

groove centrally. located throughout their length with angular 'faces 45 in parallel rela tion to the coincident angular faces 46 of the shoes 9, thus aifording` friction surfaces for these parts when theya-re broughtinto col operative relation, ande-offer great resistance en'iplacement. 1

When the car body has been brought into proper position` :at .points remote `from the concrete base the supplemental supporting members or shoes Qareiorced downwardly against the supplemental rails 11' to ladd the required rigidity to the car body so ,as V"to withstand the shock 'of recoil when thegun is fired. These shoes 9 are of yU-shaped con` struction (see `Figure 6) and are independently mounted in suitable vopenings or cavities provided in theside beams Sb'ctween the supplemental wheels 10. In Vorder to accomplish the movement of the shoes into cooperative relation with the'supporting rails, thev are 4provided with `interior k.inclined slots 1G, withl which cooperate -wedge'- like members -1.7,"theflatter being connected `toamember 18 vso that they Imay all be operated in vunison. One extremity of the membery 18 has a sliding hearing in the side beilmS Seat 19,

while Aits opposite extremity is provided with` a worm` or screw-thread 20. Cooperating with-the` threaded `end 2O is aninteriori;1 threaded gear .21 mounted betweenan ahntment Q2 and ltlie.'-sul,'face 23 of the cavity termed in theside beam :for-its 'accommodai tion'. The gear member'21 is provided with exterior' teetli..wliich engagea gear 24. mounted upon a shaft-.25 having a hearing in a standard 26. This shaft 2li-is provided with a hand wheel or gear 27 by means of which the gears and member 1'8 may he operated to cause `the `wedges 17 to lower andv Lraise the shoesor supportingr membersf9.` In order to raise the shoe members v9, the wedges 17 Aare i provided `with lateral extensions QSwhich" operate ,in slots 29 of the shoes (see Figure.l 6) sothat when the. wedges are raised, the

shoes will he caused to rise also.

lllhen the embodiment of the-invention above described -is employed yas a fixed mon/nt.y it is not necessary that the shoes 9 `he depressed to such an'extent as fwoulddisenl .Q'aee `the wheels 10 from the depressions 14. However, when lthe same is used as a sliding mount,` the lshoes will be `forced downwardly sulliciently to withdraw the wheels 1'()` rentirely from saiddepressions. thus preventingk said wheels, when riding up outofthe del pressions. lrom liftingzthe shoes away vfrom .contactwith 4the supplementalrails.

Instead. of operating the supplemental Sallie.

found desirable, employ-separate operating means "for each shoe. I have illustratedsuch mechanism in'Figurcs 12and 13. This mechanism comprises a threaded holt 30, ione extremity of which is swivelly lmounted at.y 31 in atyo'ke piece 32. extending rearwardlyrv from the side beamfot the car. The opposite extremity .ort this holt is .formed square or hexagonal as :it-33 for the accommodation of a proper wrench or tool for turning thel Mounted .upon this .bolt and in screwlhreaded connection therewith and guided 'within suitahlejopenings 'provided therefor,

is al nut y3,4 having inclined wings or extenvsions 35 (see dotted outline in Figure 13.),

which cooperate with inclined grooves in the i shoe 9. From this it will be obvious thatas the screws are turned, the nuts willbe ycaused to move therealong moving the shoeseither toward or away from the supplemental .rails accordingl to the direction of rotation.

Referring to .the yemliodiment v.of my ,invention as villustrated yin Figures l0 .and 11, here I' propose v'to use the car illustrated in the other :figures and as above described in connection with supplementalsupporting rails only. ln .this embodiment, the main rails 2 and the .supplemental supliiorting rails 1.1 are curved laterally for abcnitSN)o oit a circle on a quarter of a mile radius (see Figure 14),-so that `thc car may he moved :in an are from .point to point as necessity arises to enable the gun 4to be fired which firing is done longitudinally of the car. Prior to firing, the shoes 9 are brought into `engage*- ment with ythe supplen'ientail supporting rails 1 to d, inclusive, wherea fixed -base is employed to which the carmay he effectively locked inin'imovahle lpositiom the gun .may bexired ,laterally of the car orat any-desirable angle to the longitudinal axis thereof or longitudinally of the car. Thegun when secured to the concrete base canmbe fired rapidly and accurately at the right "times and without necessitating the reposi- -tionmg the carfor range as would be necessupporting members or y shoes simultaneously -by a single operating 4means, I may, where sary it the car shifted its position after.`

tiring. ,i Should it he desired `for an;v cause to promptlw` move the car body awayr 'from :its 1 position within the concrete `.foundation in the absence of alocomotive, I .provideat its `forward zend one or more '-.compresscd air .cvlinders 47.5;provided 'with a. piston 4 8, which may he forced outwardly by comlil ' sired.

pressedair admitted'to the port 49, this piston engaging an abutment 50, which may be of reenforced concrete construction formed integral with the 'emplacement if de-y In operation the piston engaging the abutment Will dislodge the supplemental wheels 'la trom the depressions inthe supplemental rails ll and the car may be pushed back withy su'flicient impetus along the tracks trom the emplacement to carry the same well away trom its original position. i m l KVThe general flexibility ot the system described will be noted and appreciated by those skilled in the art. The supplemental rails may be very readily transported and expeditiously mounted in operative position While the reenforced concretesupporting `foundations Vmay be previously built at strategic points along the railroad.

Vhiie I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments ot my invention, l do not n'isl'i to be limited in respect to details, but desire to cover the principles disclosed in Whatever -form they maybe embodied.

Having thus described my invention, Qi claim: i

l. The combination ot a-,railrmid track. including a main track, a ear body, Wheeled trucks therefor, a gun mounted thereoi'usupplemental track supports ac jacent the main track, .adapted to withstand recoil shocks iucidentr to gun lire and means on the car body adapted tobe brought into supported position upon the supplemental tracks to position the car for gun tire and-to transmit said shocks. o

The combination ot` a railroad track, including a car .body,a gun mounted thereon, said car body beingy providedvwith wheeled trucks, supplemental supliiorting tracks adjacent to the main track and 'laterally disposed with respect to said car body and means carried by the car body tor interengaging the supplemental supporting tracks, whereby the shock incident to the tiring ot the gun is in part taken up by the supplemental supporting tracks and the Wheeled trucks relieved ot such shocks.

3. The combination oty a railroad track, a car 'including a body and `Wheeled trucks therefor, a guninounted on said car body, supplemental grooved track-,supports laterally disposed With respect to said car body, said body being provided With dependingl strain transmitting members adapted -to engage in the grooves ot the track supports when the car is moved thereover to relieve the wheeled trucks ot the strain ot recoil shock.

4.111 combination with a railroad. track, supplemental supporting tracksA disposed at. intervals therealong, said supplemental supporting tracks running parallel With the main track and adjacent thereto, a car body having a gun mounted thereonA and provided With Wheeled truc-ks adapted to move over the railroad, supplemental supporting Wheels journaled beneath the car body and in l. position to engage the supplemental trac is and adjustable body supports for e11- gaging the supplemental tracks.

5. In combination with a railroad track, supplemental car bodyk supports mountedk at, intervals along said track and adjacent' thereto, a car body, a gun mounted thereon,

wheeled trucks for said car body adaptedy to transport the same over the main tracks ot the railroad and supplemental wheels at.`

both sides ot the lateral extremities of the car body adapted to cooperate with the supplemental supports 'for the purposeot' assisting in the dissipation ot shock incident to thetiring ot the gun. v

6. In a system oi mobile armament, a railroad comprising a. main track, supplemental tracks at intervals therealong and mounted adjacent to the main track, a car body with a gun mounted thereon provided with wheeled truc-ks cooperating nitlithc main4 track to Atransport the same, supplen'iental wheels suitablyY journaled in the car body intermediate the wheel trucks adapted to cooperate with the supplemental supporting rails to as ist in the positioning of the car body; and :uljustable'body supports for engaging tbe supplemental supporting ra1ls.

i. ln a system otmobile armament, a railroad comlirising a main track, supplemental tracks having inclined depressions at intervals ytherealong and mounted adjacent to the 11min-track, a car body .with a gun moi'lnted thereon provided with wheeled trucks co-k gear` for said car body kincluding Wheeled n trucks, supplemental wheel supports laterally disposed on said ca r bodyand cooperating with said Asupplemental tracksv and stress distributing supports located adjacentthe supplemental tracks and means cooperating with said stress distributing supports and car body for locking the same in posi-r tion upon the supplementaltracks for the purpose ot permitting the gun to be fired trom the body at any angle or inclination.

9. The combination of a railroad track, a

supplemental recoil shock-r`eceiving railsy .car body, a 4gun mounted thereon,I thefcar body being provided withgwheeled trucks,

mounted parallel with the main railroad track, movable shoes carried by the car body `adapted to engage the supplemental `supporting rails, and means for moving the -gageiiient with the supplemental j grooved' ,ao I v v y i 12. In combination with a railroad, a car-r shoes into engagement" with said supplemental supportingr rails to relieve the Wheeled trucks of the recoil shock.

10. The combination with,Y a railroad track,

recoil shock, y

tracks kto'relievel the wheeled trucks of the body movable thereover, supplemental supporting rails adjacent the main rails of the i for i locking lthe car against suoli sliding.

railroad-and means on saidcar bodytor en- 4 gaging saidsupplemental rails, an abutment, [and compressed air means carried' at the end= of the car body adaptedtoV cooperate with the abutmentto dislodge the car body from its position upon the supplemental rails.

e 13. The combination with a railway car havingtransporting wheels `and adapted 4to support ordnance under firing conditions, of

means other than the car wheels for slidably supporting the car under vrecoil raction in cident toiliring of the ordnance, and means movement. i

. y14. The combination witlia railway carV i having transporting wheels andadapted to support ordnance ,undertiring conditions, of

.slidable suiiporting means other than the car wheels. operatively associated with the car permitting` bodily-yield of the car under -rey coil action incident lto firing the ordnance,

and means for restraining movement of said l slidable supporting means.

r15.r The combination with arailway ear having transporting` wheels and yadapted to support ordnance under firing conditions, of slidable supporting means other than the car wheels. operatively associated with the r car permitted bodily yieldV of the' car under re-' coil action .incident'to tiring the ordnance,-

andfmeans for preventingmovement of said Vslidable supporting means to convert thesaine into stationary supports when an un-y yielding` cai` is desired. 16. The combination with a. railway ca having transporting wheelsl and adapted to support ordnance under tiring conditions, of

means other than the car wheels operatively associated with the cantor slidablv supporting the same under the action ot' the recoil incident to firing' the ordnance in one direction in relation to the cai and-constituting lateral resistance means when the ordnance is redin another direction with relation to the car.

1T, The combination with a railway car having transporting wheels and adapted to support'ordnance under tiring conditions, of` means other than the car wheels operatively associated with the car for slidably .siipporting the saine under the action of the recoil incident to tiring the ordnance in one direction `in relation vto the cai' and constituting d lateral resistance means when the vordnance is tired in another direction with relation to the car, and. the ordnance mounted on said car adapted to 'lire either lengthwise thereof or turnedfto tire at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the car.

18. The combination with' afrailway car having transporting wheels and adapted to support ordnance under firing conditions, of

means other than the car wheels operatively associated with the car for slidablyy supporting. the saine-under recoil action incident to firing the ordnance, and a rail to cooperate with lsaid ,means` said means being formed to have anintertitting engagement with said rail to constitute lateralresistance means to resist recoil actionangularly with reference to the longitudinal axis of the car.

' 19. The combination, with a railway car having transporting wheels and adapted to support ordnance underr tiring conditions, ot means other than the car wheels operatively. associated With the car for supporting the .saine under recoil. action incident to i iio ingr the.y ordnance, and 'a rail to cooperate v vwithv said means.r said means being formed kto have an intertitting` engagement with said rail to constitute lat-eral resistance means to resist recoil action angularly with reference to the longitudinal axis oi the car. v

20; The combination4 with ak railway car having transporting; wheels and adapted to support ordnance under tiring conditions, of inea-ns other than the car wheels operatively associated with the car for slidably supportin q` the saine under recoil action incident to tiring the ordnance, and a rail to cooperate with said means, said means being form-ed to have an interiitting engagement with said rail to constitute lateral resistance means to resist recoil action angularly with reference tothe longitudinal axis ot the car,and the rail oiniedfin cross section coniplemental to said supporting means to accomplish the intertitting` stated.

21. The combination with a railway car having transporting' wheelsand adapted to support ordnance under tiring conditions, of

means other than the car wheels, operatively associated with the car for supporting the same under recoil action incidentto firing the ordnance, and a rail to cooperate with said means, said means being formed to have an interitting engagement with said rail to constitute .lateral resistance means to resist recoil action angularly with reference to the longitudinal axis of the car, and the rail formed in cross section coinpleinental to said supporting` means to accomplish the interi'itting stated.

22. The combination with a railway car having transporting wheels and adapted t0 support ordnance under firing conditions, of means other than the-car wheels operatively associated therewith for both slidably supporting the car under recoil action incident to .firing the ordnance and for constituting a resisting means opposed to the recoil action in line with the direction of tiring of the gun angularly with reference to the longitudinal axis of the car.

23.v The combination with l a railroad incapable in itself of resisting the tiring strains i of ordnance, of a car having wheels adapted to traverse said railroad and capable'ot' supporting ordnance under firing conditions, ordnance on said car, supporting meansprovided adjacentto said railroad, means for anchoring the car theretoV to resist ,recoil shocks incident to firing the ordnance, and

supportingmeans other than the car wheels carried by the car to permit tiring the ordnance when the car is disengaged from said first supporting means.

2 4. The combination with a railroad incapable in itselfv of resisting the firing strains of ordnance, of a car hai-*ing wheels adapted to traverse said railroad and capable of supporting ordnance under ring conditions, ordnance on saidcar, supporting means provided adjacent to said railroad, ,means for anchoring the car thereto to resist recoil shocks incident to tiring the ordm-mee.l and support-ing means other than the car wheels to permit tiring the ordnance when the car is disengagedfrom said lirst supporting means. n f

25. The combination ot railroad car, a gun on the car, adjustable supporting means mounted on the kcar to be lowered into slidable contact with stationary rails and tlierebv relieve the car trucks from the shock of recoil. l

26. The combination of a railroad car, a gun onthe car. adjustable supporting; means mounted on the car to be lowered into slidable contact with stationary rails and thereby relieve the cartrucks fromv the shock of recoil,.and means for locking the car against such sliding movement.

27.- A railroad gun carriage provided with trucks for runningon a railroad track, a

gun mounted on said carriage to be ired therefrom, and a plurality of track-engaging members movablj,v mounted on said carriage and movable into position to transmit forces 29. ,A yrailroad gun carriage provided with trucks -for running` on a railroad track, a,

gun mounted on said carriage to be fired therefrom, a track-engaging vmember movably mountedv on said carriage, and `means for moving said member into and out of engagement with va track to transmitfo'rces of the gun recoil to said track'loy sliding contact therewith and vto relieve the truck kwheels andaxles of said forces.

v 30. A railroad guncarriage provided with trucks for running on arailroad track, a gun mounted on said carriage having means for adjusting the gun relative to the cai'- riage "for azimuth pointing and permitting firing of the gun from the carriage, and a track-engaging means mounted on saidcarriage tobe movable into position to transioo mit forces oi'' the gun recoil to a track by sliding contact therewith and to relieve the truck wheels and axles of said forces.

31. A railroad gun carriage provided with trucks for running on a railroad track, a gun mounted on said carriage having means `ttor adjusting; Athe gun relative to the carriage for both azimuth pointing and angular elevation and permitting firing of the` gun from the carriage. and a track-engaging y means mounted` on said carriage to be movable into position to transmit forces of the gun recoil to a track by slidingl contact therewith Aand to relieve the truck wheels and axles of said forces.

32. A railroad gun carriage provided with trucks for running on a railroad track, a

gun mounted on said carri agemeans for adiustmg the gun with reference to the carriage for azimuth pointing thereof and enabling the tiring of tlie'gun fromthe carriage, oit' means at opposite sides of the carriage movably mounted with respect to said carriage to be placed in position to .transmit forces of the gun recoil to the track members vbykslidng Contact therewith andtoreliei/ei the truck Wheels and axles of said forces when the gun is fired in either direction tending laterally of the carriage.

33. A railroad gun carriage provided with trucks for 'running onfa railroad track, af gun mounted on szud carriageto bef fired therefrom7L and track-engaging' Ineens op In testmonyfwhereof I haife khereunto set my hand and seal this 26th day of May, 1917.

LAWRENCE W. LUELLEN. 

